Kershaw starts vs M's, left off wild card roster

SEATTLE -- Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who will start Sunday's regular-season finale against the Seattle Mariners, will be left off manager Dave Roberts' roster for the Wild Card Series.

Prior to Sunday's contest, Roberts said Kershaw will go "as long as he can" and not be shortened up as a way of managing his innings. On Wednesday, Kershaw made his first relief appearance of the season and tossed a scoreless inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

However, Kershaw returned to the rotation on Sunday to make the final regular-season start of his career. On Sept. 18, Kershaw said he will retire at the end of the season, having spent his entire 18-year career with the Dodgers.

The 11-time All-Star and 2014 NL MVP is tied with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most years with the Dodgers in franchise history. Kershaw won World Series championships in 2020 and 2024.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner entered Sunday's game with a career 2.54 ERA, and with the fifth-highest Wins Above Replacement of any left-handed pitcher in Major League history. Kershaw only trailed Hall of Famers Lefty Grove, Warren Spahn, Eddie Plank and Steve Carlton before making his final Sunday's start.

His 2.54 ERA is the lowest of any pitcher in the live-ball era since 1920, and his winning percentage tops all pitchers with at least 200 victories since 1900.